Crime: Two days after he managed to escape from the detention centre, Damphu police and volunteers on August 21 caught the 43-year-old man, who has been accused of rape of a child below 18 years.

He had suffered an open ankle fracture while fleeing and police has referred him to Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital in Thimphu.

According to his statement to the doctor in Damphu hospital, he slipped and fell from a height while fleeing and that a stone rolled down and injured his right leg.

On August 19, it was the accused’s turn to prepare breakfast for the detainees. The kitchen is located outside the detention room in Tsirang police station and that was how he managed to flee, police officials said.

“We keep two police personnel on duty for each detainee but we don’t know how it happened,” a police official said.

Police managed to trace him through an informant and was caught from a place called Lalikharka top (ancient trade route), which is a border between Tsirang and Sarpang. It’s about 37 km from Damphu town.

Police personnel provided first aid to the accused and carried him for nine hours to Damphu hospital.

According to report with the police, the man is accused of intoxicating and raping his niece several times while his wife was away from home for work.

“The incident took place is February, May and July this year,” report stated.

Damphu police have already forwarded the case to court. The school authority reported the incident to police after the girl and the accused’s wife approached the school for the girl’s security.

A police official said that the incident would not have occurred if the police station had kitchen and toilets inside the detention room. There was also a need for a proper boundary wall around the station.

By Yeshey Dema, Tsirang

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